Ontario · Construction Act

# Form 9 — Certificate of Substantial Performance, prepared properly

Publication of a Form 9 starts the clock that releases holdback. This worksheet prepares the certificate’s contents and records where and when it was published — the dates your money depends on.

[Open the Form 9 worksheet](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=form-9-csp-worksheet#form-library)
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## Free to fill and print

The worksheet opens in Blue Crane's Form Maker: fill the fields on
screen, print, done — no account. Free PDFs carry a small
Blue Crane footer line; the one-time Form Maker Pass ($9 for 30
days, $69 for a year) strips all Blue Crane text for clean, client-ready
prints and auto-fills your company details on all 126 forms.

**Worksheet and record, not a filing.** Where an
official form or filing exists, this prepares the information and
keeps your copy — the filing itself is done with the regulator.

## What the certificate contains

A Form 9 under the Construction Act identifies:

- The project and its location

- The owner and the contractor

- Who certified or declared substantial performance — the payment certifier, or the owner and contractor together

- The date substantial performance was reached

- Where and when the certificate was published

## The part people get wrong: publication

Preparing the certificate is half the job — the legal effect flows from certifying and *publishing* it correctly and on time. The timelines are strict and date-driven. Our [Form 9 publication guide](https://bluecraneworks.ca/ontario-form-9-publication-rules.html) walks the how, where, and when of publication step by step — read it before relying on any date.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a Certificate of Substantial Performance?

It is the certificate (Form 9) under Ontario’s Construction Act recording that a contract has reached substantial performance. Its publication starts key timelines — including the countdown to release of the statutory holdback — which is why the certificate and its publication date matter so much.

### Who certifies substantial performance?

The payment certifier where the contract has one; otherwise the owner and the contractor make the determination together. The certificate then has to be published in the manner the Act requires.

### Is this worksheet the official Form 9?

No — it prepares the certificate’s contents and records the certification and publication details for your file. The prescribed form, properly certified and published, is what carries legal effect. For a live project, confirm the current requirements or get advice.

### Where do I find the publication rules and deadlines?

Our Form 9 publication guide covers the how, where, and when — including the traps. This page deliberately does not restate the deadlines; use the guide, which is maintained against the Act.

## The paperwork is the easy part now.

The Blue Crane App keeps documents, certs, crew sign-offs, and costs
per job site — the Form Maker is the free front door.

[Try the App free — 30 days](https://app.bluecraneworks.ca/?intent=trial)
[Open the Form 9 worksheet](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=form-9-csp-worksheet#form-library)

[Form 9 publication rules (the guide)](https://bluecraneworks.ca/ontario-form-9-publication-rules.html)
[Form 1.2 notice of non-payment](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=notice-of-non-payment-form-12#form-library)
[Lien waiver & release record](https://bluecraneworks.ca/tools?form=lien-waiver-release#form-library)
[The Form 1.2 deadline trap](https://bluecraneworks.ca/form-1-2-deadline-trap.html)

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Source: https://bluecraneworks.ca/ontario-form-9-certificate-of-substantial-performance